he bishop of Tarbes and Lourdes, Monsignor Jacques Perrier, and the rector of the Lourdes sanctuaries, Father Jaquin, had both seen the exhibition, the former at the Sorbonne chapel, in Paris, the latter in Czestochowa.

ecause of this, they agreed immediately with the project we submitted to them, to bring the exhibition back to Lourdes, but this time actually within the Sanctuaries, and on a long-term basis. This was a project particularly close to our hearts. We wanted a permanent exhibition whose proceeds could possibly allow us, in the manner of a Foundation, to offer the exhibition to countries who would like to receive it, but who may not be able to afford it.

he exhibition was inaugurated on the 24th March 2001, at the same time as the Musée-Trésor des Sanctuaires, which reveals to the public exceptional collections of liturgical art, but also allow today's pilgrims to connect with the history of the millions of pilgrims who have gone before.

t the starting point of this new stage, we find once again the energy and selflessness of Laure Decroix, the exhibitions "good fairy", aided in the initial steps by Gérard Altuzzarra. But all the Sanctuary teams took up the task and carried it out: Father Pierre-Marie Charriez, Director of the Heritage of Sacred Art, Francis Dehaine, Director General of the Sanctuaries, our long-time counsellor, who took care of the management and administration, Bruno de Charrette et the whole technical team, who took charge of construction, and Pierre Adias and Gisèle Moussaigne who, with the communications and diffusion service, were responsible for publicity...

ost important is the strong presence and the strong spiritual links, the meaning of which are constantly emphasised by Monsignor Perrier and Father Jacquin, through the special edition which Lourdes-Magazine, under the direction of François Vaine, dedicated to the exhibition, or by inviting one of the exhibitions organisers to participate, by means of a meditation on the Pieta photographs, in the Marian ecumenical symposium held in June 2001.

ourdes remains for us the place where Robert Hupka was with us for the last time, a few months before his death, and we are happy that it is in this Sanctuary which he loved so much that we said our last "goodbye": God be with you.

othing can better express that which unites us now as then, than the the limpid words of Monsignor Christoph Schönborn, Cardinal Archbishop of Vienna, written in Lourdes-Magazine:

"And it is in this way that we became friends, fascinated by this mystery greater than us, and which unites us, and which is of such ineffable beauty, of such tender presence, that words fail and give way to adoration.

Dear Robert, dear friend of the Christ and of the Holy Virgin, thank you for this treasure of faith and beauty in your photographs! What a foretaste of that final meeting, which will be face to face! And what a call to the love of Christ and of Mary! Long may these unique pictures of a unique work of art continue to act as missionaries of that great love!".

Realisation

Design - production: ARSTELLA

Artistic advisor: Jean-Luc LEGUAY
Lights : Pierrick LONGUEVRE
Technical coordination: Pierrick LONGUEVRE
Exhibition settlment: Equipe technique des Sanctuaires
Direction : Bruno de CHARETTE
Photographic prints: Laboratoires PUBLIMOD'PHOTO
Photographs mounting: Société DE BROCA

Administration - Management : Francis Dehaine, directeur général des Sanctuaires
Communication: Service communication des Sanctuaires
Direction: Pierre ADIAS
Distribution: Service promotion des Sanctuaires
Director: Gisèle MOUSSEIGNE

Accueil: Laure DECROIX, assistée de Maïté LACOSTE et de Sylvie CHABAUD

ith the participation of the IGS Group (Institut de Gestion Sociale)